Pakenham Parish Council : Minutes 25th July 2019

PAKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, 25th July 2019 at 7.30pm
Pakenham Village Hall

Present: Cllr Painter, Cllr Dorling, Cllr Bagnell, Cllr Davey, Cllr Palfrey, Cllr Sargent and Cllr Sidebotham. Eight Members of the public were in attendance. Mrs S Brown (clerk) took the minutes.

1 - Record Councillors' apologies for absence: All in attendance

2 - Declarations of interest: Cllr Painter declared an interest in item 9i.

3:-
County Councillor's report:-
Cllr Hopfensperger attended and gave a report which included: new electric vehicle charging points installed in Suffolk, £700k available in green grants, Suffolk pothole repair scheme to go county wide, rights of way improvement plan, community chest funding available, the warm homes fund; information to be placed on the village noticeboard. The report to be sent to the Clerk to circulate to Councillors. A report had been received and circulated to Councillors from Cllr Hopfensperger on West Suffolk's and Suffolk County Council's legal position in regards the kebab van. Council briefly discussed and it was agreed to send a copy of the report to the two residents who had attended the previous meeting with concerns in regards the kebab van. To also place the report in the Village and Church Newsletter to update residents. Cllr Hopfensperger advised the gates for Upper Town should be installed in the next few weeks. Cllr Painter asked that they are in place before the start of the new school term in September. It was advised an extra cut had been organised in Upper Town to ensure a good visibility splay.
Cllr Bagnell advised Highways had placed a barrier across Brand Road, an ambulance had not been able to get through and this had caused a dangerous situation. Cllr Bagnell to send the details to Cllr Hopfensperger who will raise an official complaint. It was noted Cllr Hopfensperger had sent her apologies for the last meeting but these had not been received by the Clerk until after the meeting.
Borough Councillor's report:-
Cllr Brown attended and highlighted the locality funding.
Public Forum:-
A resident advised groundworks had taken place in Grimstone End including a hedge being removed, an old fence being removed and extensive soil had been moved which had also encroached over the boundary. The Clerk to write to the landowner asking if they could explain the works to the Council. Cllr Brown and Cllr Hopfensperger to also take the matter up.
Cllr Brown advised he had no further update in regards the boatyard but should have further information for the September meeting.
It was advised a planning application may be received by the Parish Council in August, the Chair advised if one is received an extra meeting will be called and the public notified by the normal means. A resident complained about the bottle bank situated at the playing field asking if it could be moved to a different location as it was causing a particular nuisance at the weekends especially on Sundays with noise. To place on the next agenda.

4 - To consider the approval of the minutes of the last meetings:-
The minutes of the meeting held on 27th June 2019 were approved and signed as a true record.

5 - Reports:-
i. Outstanding Highways Issues: Suffolk County Council had confirmed the fallen sign at the bottom of Maulkins Drive had been added to the list of works. Cllr Dorling advised the island at Butchers Corner had not been cut, Cllr Hopfensperger to notify Highways.
ii. Clerks Report: The editor of the Village & Church News had confirmed the dates of the parish council meetings would be included in the August edition.
He also advised as volunteers had now come forward the magazine would be able to be delivered to the Pakenham Bridge area of the village and an increase in the production run has been made to rectify this matter.
The broken pane in the telephone kiosk at Grimstone End should be mended in the next couple of weeks.
iii. Allotments: Some fly tipping had taken place but this had now been cleared. The Clerk had visited the allotments 1 plot is vacant x3 full plots and one half plot do not appear to be worked and an email was sent to the tenants highlighting item 5A of the tenancy agreement. One further plot has become vacant as it had become too much for the holder. One tenant reported a good deal of material had been taken care of but was waiting for his strimmer to be mended before he could complete the job. The Clerk will try to get clarification from the final tenant if they still wish to continue with their plots. Cllr Sidebotham advised a plot holder will be giving up their plots in April 2020, a tenant next to one of the plots may be interested in taking it over, to place their name on the waiting list. The allotments were briefly discussed; it was asked if the plot holders could contact the Clerk if they no longer wished to rent their allotment or if they want to go on the waiting list. Cllr Sidebotham did not wish to continue as the allotment officer. Cllr Dorling confirmed the portaloo had been removed from the site.
iv. The Owell (strip of land by garages): Cllr Sargent updated Council on a small strip of land which after investigation did not appear to be registered. This land is overgrown and unsightly, if cleared a resident would be happy to take it on. Council briefly discussed and agreed the Parish Council could not do any work to the land as they did not own it. It was suggested the resident could go to a solicitor to make a claim on the piece of land.

6 - To consider repair to the access track to the Lawn Cemetery:-
Council discussed and all in agreement for Cllr Dorling to receive a quote for the works from M J Nunn's. To place on next agenda.

7 - To consider Parking on pavements within Pakenham:-
Council discussed the problem, reminders had been placed a number of times in the Newsletter. Council all in agreement for the Clerk to report the issue to Suffolk Constabulary suggesting they also visit in the evenings with the expectation they will be able to deal with the problem.

8 - Correspondence:-
Clerks & Councils Direct and The Practice of Kindness was circulated to Councillors.
i. Email received from St Mary's Church thanking the Council for giving them permission to hold the theatre event. An update on the ticket sales and asking permission to hold another theatre event next year on Saturday, 11th July 2020 which will be The Jungle Book. All Councillors in agreement to give permission for the event next year and thanking them for a wonderful event.
ii. Email received from the Ixworth Patients Association with an update on how the grant was spent on supporting families who have a relative declining into dementia. It was asked if the Parish Council wished to arrange a briefing for the village.
iii. Better broadband briefing had been circulated – Noted

9 - Planning Applications: Cllr Painter left the room. The Clerk also left the room to allow for a free discussion as she had an interest in item 9i.
i. DC/19/1113/OUT : The Dell, The Street:
Outline planning 2no. dwellings (following demolition of existing dwelling) & extension to existing garage.
Council discussed, the clerk re-joined the meeting and noted Council (5 for 1 abstention) do not object to two properties on the site but would prefer bungalows.
Cllr Painter re-joined the meeting.

ii. DC/19/191484 : 25 The Owell
Erection of detached garage with studio in first floor following demolition of existing garage & rear extension.
Council discussed and all in agreement no objection.

iii. DC/19/1491/TCA : Swiss Cottage, The Street.
1no Oak and 1no Ash fell: Council discussed and all in agreement no objection.

10 - Finance Report and to consider payments to be made:-
The deposit account held £10,068.96 at 31.5.19
and the current account held a cleared balance of £26,314.03 at 1.7.19,
this does not include £405 received for the reservation of a cemetery plot.

No further invoices had been received.

11 - Councillors' reports and items for future agenda:-
Cllr Palfrey asked if anyone wished to take over as the village hall representative, no one came forward, Cllr Palfrey agreed to carry on as the representative.

12 - Date of next meeting:-
The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed as Wednesday, 25th September 2019 at 7.30pm in the village hall.

There being no further business the meeting was closed at 8.55pm

(Ref: 278-281)